You know you're in an alternate universe when...

[0neiros]

There are Zeppelins in the sky. Fringe, Dr. Who, Caprica, any show that has an alternate universe has zeppelins flying around. WHY?!?!?!? I swear if you were rich and wanted to punk a whole city like LA, get about 6 Blimps built and fly them around, people would convinced they weren't in Kansas anymore.

 

[handler]

Blimps have special powers. Don't knock'em til you ride'em.

 

[micdavis]

Conan heralded his return with a blimp.

 

[CB2001]

Maybe blimps require less use of fossil fuels, which would make sense why they're in use (as the alternate reality's societies would have been more open to alternate modes of transport that protects the environment). I mean, that was the explanation that was given in the "Watchmen" comic (I think).

 

[division 6]

I read the other day that they are building a new one at Moffett Field.
Article on it.

 

[Nwerke]

Why, because nobody's built a full-size rigid airship since the 1930s I guess. It's one of the few technologies that simply doesn't exist any more and can't be seen anywhere. You want to see a bakelite radio, or a horse and cart, or a running Tiger tank, or an 1895 electric car or a steamship, they all still exist here and there. No rigid airships though.

Just to illustrate: the ship referenced by division 6 is 235 feet long and must require about 630,000 cubic feet of helium. The big 1930s ships were in the 800-foot range and required over FIVE MILLION cubic feet.

 

[DaddyfromNaboo]

There are Zeppelins in the sky. Fringe, Dr. Who, Caprica, any show that has an alternate universe has zeppelins flying around. WHY?!?!?!? I swear if you were rich and wanted to punk a whole city like LA, get about 6 Blimps built and fly them around, people would convinced they weren't in Kansas anymore.

From a movie designer´s perspective I´d say it´s an easily recognizable element that instantly translates into "not around anymore". Since you have only a few seconds to establish that "different" look, you need catchy elements. They could have gone with something different in the air, like a two-rotor helicopter, or different cars, but those elements would have zoomed through the picture and can be easily missed. Almost static blimps are an easy ticket.
The "Batman Animated" series with it´s retrofuturistic look had police blimps, too, and I think the trend was started with "Blade Runner", or was it "Metropolis" where blimps were kind of new? Hm, I think Metropolis really had those helicopters instead of blimps...

Anyway, it probably all boils down to "the designers didn´t have any better ideas", I guess :unsure Or everyone just loves blimps

 

[BrundelFly]

We are in an Alternate Universe. Its called the SECOND DEPRESSION.

 

[CB2001]

We are in an Alternate Universe. Its called the SECOND DEPRESSION.

You're logic is flawed. I'm not depressed. I wasn't even depressed a first time.

 

[moffeaton]

I'm pretty partial to blimps.

http://www.therpf.com/f11/1-2-studio-scale-offworld-blimp-moving-ahead-42705/

 

[TheDoctor]

We are in an Alternate Universe. Its called the SECOND DEPRESSION.

Actually there have been number of economic depressions, global or otherwise, so it wouldn't be the second. Also, there are few economists that would say we even reached Depression levels, let alone continue to be in one. True, unemployment remains high, but that is only one of the indicators - and is mostly attributable to corporate greed (companies holding onto too much money instead of spending and expanding).


As for the blimps, as much as I would love to have seen these gentle giants gliding through the air, they were never going to stick around anyway. Look at the attempts to bring them back - they remain economically unsound. If the Hindenburg hadn't been destroyed, they would have continued to operate until airplanes replaced them - it was inevitable that Zepplins were doomed anyway.

I would gather that Zepplins are used in alternate universes namely because of the ideas expressed above, especially that the writers/designers don't have any better ideas on how to show "you're not in Kansa anymore". Personally, I would rather they use architecture - find a style that didn't take off on a large scale. A more economically focused society might adhere more toasted utilitatrian Soviet design.

Most alternate universes are only slightly off ours, so making drastic changes are going to sublimate your plot.

 

[Wes R]

I think the blimp thing shows it is an alternate universe because if not for the Hindenburg going up in flames we'd probably still be using zeppelins for trips or at least transport for short trips like commuter planes do.

 

[0neiros]

About 60 miles from where I live in Oregon are the Blimp Hangers where all the blimps in the world are made. These hangers are so massive that they literally have their own weather, ie it's sunny outside, and raining in the hanger. They are an incredible sight to see. I also love blimps, and wonder/wish why no one has built a luxury one for people to ride on, no need for Hydrogen anymore so they'd be perfectly safe. Can you imagine cruising across the USA in a Luxury Zeppelin? I'd love it.

 

[Dung0beetle]

..where all the blimps in the world are made.

Goodyear/Lockheed Martin does not make all of the blimps in the world.
Canada, Germany, Great Britain, and Italy manufacture blimps as well. (I'm not talking about the little advertising balloons you see at car dealers either.)

 

[CTF]

You know you're in an alternate universe when J.J. Abrams is a producer on the show you're in.

Fringe, Lost, Star Trek... where does it stop?

 

[CessnaDriver]

Airship Ventures

you can get rides in California

It is a true zeppelin, not a blimp.

Made by Zeppeline NT themselves..
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zeppelin_NT

Semi-rigid so still need some pressure to hold it's shape.

It has unique abilities as well like hover because the props can pivot.

 

[deck5]

Most alternate universes are only slightly off ours, so making drastic changes are going to sublimate your plot.

Sublimate? That word you're using, I don't think it means what you think it means.

 

[EvilRocketeer]

Conan heralded his return with a blimp.

One was flying over Irvine a month ago

 

[SmilingOtter]

"It's the same old story. Boy finds girl, boy loses girl, girl finds boy, boy forgets girl, boy remembers girl, girls dies in a tragic blimp accident over the Orange Bowl on New Year's Day...."

"Goodyear?"

"No. The worst."

"Poor dear!"

 

[Dave Ward]

Definitely cheesy. Up there with "space monks" on the avoid list for sci-fi writing.